Brazil has started flying an indigenously produced uncrewed aerial vehicle intended for service aboard the country’s light aircraft carrier.
Rio de Janeiro-based manufacturer Stella Tecnologia is currently testing the remotely piloted aircraft known as Albatroz at the Portobello Farm airfield in Rio de Janeiro.
Brasilia plans to operate the long-endurance platform in the maritime patrol role, flying from the Brazilian navy’s NAM Atlantico light aircraft carrier. That ship – which began life with the UK Royal Navy as the HMS Ocean – currently supports a helicopter air wing, with the Albatroz set to become the service’s first uncrewed aircraft.
Stella says the initial Albatroz flight test phase was focused on calibrating flight systems and collecting telemetry data. The current, second stage of flight testing involves “rigorous field operations designed to validate the aircraft’s performance under real-world conditions”, the company says.
That includes collecting high-resolution imagery and video footage from the aircraft while in-flight.
Following the latest test campaign, Stella and the Brazilian navy will begin full integration of the Albatroz with the Atlantico’s onboard system.
Stella notes the Albatroz boasts an uninterrupted flight endurance of up to 24h.
